Rays' Junior Caminero Announced for 2025 MLB HR Derby, Joins Acuna, Raleigh, More

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero will be competing in the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby, he announced Wednesday on Instagram.

Caminero is batting .252 with 21 home runs through 86 games. He is one of 13 players heading into Wednesday with more than 20 homers on the season.

He will join the Atlanta Braves' Ronald Acuña Jr., Seattle Mariners' Cal Raleigh, Washington Nationals' James Wood, Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton and Pittsburgh Pirates' Oneil Cruz in the competition on July 14 in Atlanta.

Only Raleigh and New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge have more home runs than Caminero in the AL. He also ranks just behind Cruz for the highest average bat speed in MLB at 78 miles per hour, per Baseball Savant.

Caminero's home run total includes the first grand slam of his MLB career, which he hit in the ninth inning of a tied game against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 13.

Caminero earned his first career MLB All-Star roster selection on Tuesday, when he was called up to replace injured Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman.

The third baseman told MLB.com's Adam Berry in June that he "would be interested" in participating in the Derby if he were invited. He added that he would "put on a good show for the fans."

This wouldn't be the first time Caminero has put a ball over the fence in a clutch moment. Back in January, he hit a solo home run in Game 7 of the Dominican winter league (LIDOM) championship to secure a title and series MVP honors.

Caminero has hit 14 of his homers at George M. Steinbrenner Field, which has been one of MLB's friendliest parks for home run hitters in 2025.

But that shouldn't stymy him too much at Truist Field, where Baseball Savant says 20 of his 21 homers this season would have made it over the wall.

Now that Caminero has committed to the contest, there are only two spots remaining in the eight-batter Derby field.

Judge has already said he will not be participating. The Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, New York Mets' Pete Alonso, San Diego Padres' Fernando Tatís Jr. and Philadelphia Phillies' Kyle Schwarber have also declined potential invitations, giving up-and-coming stars like Caminero the chance to compete when the Derby takes place next Monday at 8 p.m. ET.